As The Clemson Insider reported last week, a multi-year Clemson-Georgia series will be announced by the two schools in the near future.

It will be great news for college football as one of the South’s true rivalries—Clemson University and the University of Georgia are just 70 miles apart—renews.

But what if the two rivals were to play before that? What if they met in the College Football Playoff?

Clemson and Georgia fan for years have longed for the two to play in a postseason game. For years, before the Peach Bowl became a New Year’s Six Bowl Game and CFP Game, the two fan bases hoped they would meet in the Orange Bowl. It almost happened a couple of times but something always got in the way.

This year, Athlon Magazine is projecting it is finally going to happen and it will happen in a College Football Playoff Semifinal Game. The long-time publication, which has been producing preseason magazine’s for decades, says the Tigers and Bulldogs will meet in the 2019 Orange Bowl Classic as part of the CFP Semifinals. They also have Alabama playing Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, the other semifinal venue.

Athlon picks Clemson and Alabama to win both games and play for the national championship.

I’m sure it does not get everyone else in college football as excited to read Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Georgia are Athlon’s predictions to make it to the playoff. Clemson and Alabama have played the last three years in the playoff. Ohio State beat Alabama in the first playoff. Clemson spanked Ohio State in the third playoff and Georgia lost to Alabama in last year’s national championship game.

However, the thought of Clemson vs. Georgia in a playoff game is exciting. Can you imagine the two fan bases? They already hate each other. This will take it to another level of hate. It will rekindle the memories and how close of a rivalry Clemson and Georgia were when they played every year back in the day.

From 1977-’87, all but two games were decided by seven points or less. It was one of the most fierce and competitive rivalries in college football. Clemson won 5, Georgia won 5 and they tied 1 in the 11 years.

During those 11 years, Georgia won the 1980 National Championship. Clemson won the 1981 National Championship. Both teams were among the top five winning-est programs in the country.

Will Clemson and Georgia play in a College Football Playoff or the national championship game in 2018 or in the near future? It could happen. Crazier things have.

I find it hard to believe the SEC will get two schools in the CFP for two straight years, especially after all the backlash that came out of last year’s playoff. Plus, Georgia has to play at South Carolina, host Auburn, who I think is going to be pretty good, and it goes to LSU, which is never easy.

Then if they get past those three, the Bulldogs have to beat Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. If they don’t do that, then they are at the mercy of the playoff committee and like I said, I don’t think they let the SEC get two teams for a second straight year.

However, as a fan of the Clemson-Georgia rivalry and somewhat of a historian on the subject, I would love it. I know Clemson and Georgia fans would too.

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